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It's not all smiles for Landon Russell
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| by Kathy Pierce, Reporter Staff Writer |
October 28, 2009 |
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Landon Russell, a tough little tyke
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Landon Russell has had a rough three months, and it's been an agonizing time for his parents Eric and Courtney (Hill) Russell of Grimes. Since being diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor in July the three-year-old has undergone surgery, radiation treatments and is enduring six months of chemotherapy.
The tumor was diagnosed at his three-year checkup, when the doctor felt a lump near his left kidney. An ultrasound revealed the growth. Three days later he had surgery to remove the kidney that was severely damaged from the tumor. While in surgery doctors found the tumor had spread through the ureter and was close to penetrating into the bladder.
"We were lucky they caught it before that happened," said his mom.
Courtney explained that Wilms tumor is a type of kidney cancer that occurs in children. It is extrememly rare with only about 400 cases diagnosed in a year and peaks between the ages of three and five.
"Landon was not symptomatic," his mom said. "The only symptom he showed was high blood pressure, and that was only detected after the diagnosis."
Although an echocardiogram showed some heart damage due to the high blood pressure, the parents were told it may heal on its own.
Immediately after surgery, Landon faced radiation (six consecutive days) and chemotherapy at the John Stoddard Cancer Center in Des Moines. He is about half way through his chemotherapy treatments and is now down to every other week.
"If we don't have any setbacks he should be done by the end of January," says Courtney. "He's been a real trooper through all this, but he doesn't like going to the doctor. When he has a chemo treatment we apply a numbing cream prior to his appointment. He knows what's coming then and cries, 'Don't want my lotion!' There are times when he doesn't have much energy, but he hasn't gotten real sick with the chemo."
Landon was already in stage four when his cancer was diagnosed, but the prognosis is optimistic as doctors say he has a 90% chance or higher of beating the disease. When the chemo series is complete Landon will have another surgery to remove the port, then he'll return to the Center every three months for scans. This will continue for two years.
A benefit dinner/auction has been planned for Sunday, Nov. 8 at Seven Oaks Recreation to help the family with expenses and contribute to CureSearch. The noon lunch cost is $8 for adults and $5 per child. The auction begins at 1 p.m. To donate to the benefit online, go to www.landonrussellbenefit.com. For more information, call Traci (Hill) Havlik at 515-460-3147.
Landon is the grandson of Norm and Vicki Hill of Ogden.
An ad listing the auction items will appear in next week's issue of The Ogden Reporter. |
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©The Ogden Reporter 2009
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Rachelle Riedmiller |
Oct, 29 2009 |
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Stay strong and keep up your brave fight Landon! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I hope the benefit is a huge success!
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Frank Friedman |
Oct, 28 2009 |
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I am an activist for kidney cancer. I am in touch with families who have a child with wilms tumor.Visit youtube:my videos.One is on Wilms tumor. I also have a support group in Michigan. I wold love to hear from the Russell family about Landon. Thee are about 500 cases in tyhe US.We had 3 in Michigan.I am a retired prof. who does a lot fo work in kc.
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